LAPORTE, Ind. – An Indiana farmer returned from a national contest with more grand champion awards from the offspring of a single ram.

The breeding ram owned by Brett Kessler was a grand champion himself at a competition during the Washington State Fair in 2017.

Kessler, owner of Clay Hill Ranch in the northwest part of the state, had a ram and ewe named grand champions in the 2023 National North Country Cheviot Show and Sale. The show was held in conjunction with the 76th annual West Virginia Purebred Sheep Association Show and Sale in Petersburg.

“They got a heck of a pedigree behind them,” he said.

He estimated nearly 20 other offspring from his sire, “John Snow,” have earned grand champion status at other competitions since he started breeding the over 6-year-old male sheep.

Two of his daughters came in second place and fifth place out of about 1,000 ewes in the grand champion contest during last year’s Indiana State Fair.

Kessler, who’s been showing his farm animals for close to 30 years, said he’s had grand champions from other breeding stock but none of his previous rams were close to producing as many prize winning animals as John Snow.

He also said it might have been the first time he’s had two in one show named grand champion. “This was a pretty special year. It was a great show. Great participation from all across the country,” he said.

Kessler said both of his most recent grand champions were later purchased as breeding stock by farms in Minnesota during the two-day show held the first week in June.

Currently, he’s working with a ram and ewe born 16 months ago to his champion producing sire to compete in future shows.

The sire is nearing the end of his useful lifespan for breeding, though, but steps have been taken for him to keep producing offspring.

“We’re fortunate enough to have some semen collected and stored on him, so, we’ll be able to use him for many years into the future,” Kessler said.

In March, Kessler said he also purchased a grand champion ram from Canada for breeding in hopes of adding more notches to his championship belt.

Traveling the country to show animals is an annual tradition for Kessler and his wife, Heather, along with their sons, Blake, Brady and Brock.

“I would hate to know how many miles we have traveled,” he said.

Presently, Blake is studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue University while Brady is going to be a senior and Brock an eighth grader at the New Prairie School Corporation.

Kessler said everyone in his family helps raise and show their animals.

Brock, for example, is working with the animals he plans to show during this year’s LaPorte County Fair and competitions elsewhere.

“He’s out here every day,” Kessler said.  

The family has about 300 ewes along with 10 to 20 rams at one time on land near Rolling Prairie. They also have around 100 head of beef cattle on 200 acres where they live just west of LaPorte.

Kessler said most of the animals are sold to breeders while the rest are processed into meat for local restaurants and individuals to place in their freezers.

The farm also produces corn, soybeans and hay.

Despite the success rate of the offspring from his sire, Kessler said he was confident in how the sheep would perform but having two grand champions was not what he totally expected.

“We were a little surprised. We thought we had a good shot. We always love doing well and you hope that you’re standing at the end,” he said.